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Legendary animation maestro Fred Seibert and DeZerlin Entertainment, a China-based animation IP development house, have joined forces in a first-ever effort to bring promising Chinese animation talent and animated content to the West.
Hot Pot! Cartoons will reach out across all of China to draw out the most innovative and imaginative Chinese creators from animation, comics, games and theater, and work with them to develop animated short films for the global market. Shorts will be supervised by the FredFilms development and production team in the United States and DeZerlin.
“For my entire cartoon career I’ve elevated new talent in the animation industry. I’m proud to partner with Lin Zhang of DeZerlin Entertainment to bring extraordinary Chinese talent across the world. Lin has his finger on the creative pulse of China,” said Seibert, “and has demonstrated a capacity to draw together creative, industry and governmental resources that will allow us access to the heart of the creative community.”
Hot Pot! Cartoons is executive produced by Seibert and Zhang, along with Brian J. Murphy in Los Angeles and Mark Byers in China.
“Fred is a legend in animation worldwide, and renowned for his ability to discover nascent talent,” said Zhang. “It is an honor to work with him and to learn from his experience.
Seibert and his teams have successfully created several successful incubator series including Oh Yeah! Cartoons and Random! Cartoons for Nickelodeon, Too Cool! Cartoons with YouTube and GO! Cartoons with Sony Pictures Animation, spinning off long running hits such as Butch Hartman’s The Fairly OddParents for Nickelodeon, Pendleton Ward’s Adventure Time on Cartoon Network and Bee and PuppyCat with Netflix. As president of Hanna-Barbera in the 1990s, Seibert pioneered incubator series that discovered talent and shows for the fledgling Cartoon Network, such as Genndy Tartakovsky’s Dexter’s Laboratory and Craig McCracken’s Powerpuff Girls.
“Talent incubators have proven highly successful in both the creative and the tech industries,” said Murphy, “and Fred has developed a sound business model with proven successes. We are pleased to be applying this methodology to the creative potential of China.”
DeZerlin Entertainment was founded in 2010 in the east coast city of Qingdao, China, and has grown into one of the preeminent IP and content creation houses in Asia, with long term relationships in animation, live action, games, publishing and merchandise across Europe, Asia and North America. Creative offices for Hot Pot! Cartoons will be based in a newly formed subsidiary in Zibo, China.
“I’ve been producing both live-action and animation in China for over 20 years, and the thing that has always struck me is the world-class level of talent in China that, sadly, is seldom seen outside the country,” said Byers. “I’m excited that for the first time we can directly showcase that talent to the world.”
“Jump into Wow” this summer with the premieres of two new series on Disney Junior — Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends and Mickey Mouse Funhouse — both featuring beloved iconic characters starring in brand-new stories for kids and families to enjoy.
Premiering Friday, August 6 with a simulcast on Disney Channel and Disney Junior (9 a.m. EDT/PDT), Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends is the first full-length Marvel series for preschoolers. The series follows Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales and their adventures as the young heroes team up with Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Black Panther to defeat foes like Rhino, Doc Ock and Green Goblin and learn that teamwork is the best way to save the day. The series voice cast includes Benjamin Valic (Sonic the Hedgehog) as Peter Parker, Lily Sanfelippo (The Chicken Squad) as Gwen Stacy and Jakari Fraser (Ben Is Back) as Miles Morales.
Premiering Friday, August 20 with a simulcast on Disney Channel and Disney Junior (8 a.m. EDT/PDT), Mickey Mouse Funhouse continues the Disney Junior legacy of highlighting Disney’s #1 star, Mickey Mouse, and his pals for the preschool audience. The series introduces a new character, Funny, an enchanted talking playhouse voiced by Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), who takes them on adventures to unique lands that inspire the imagination, introducing a whole new generation to the captivating world of these beloved characters. The series guest cast includes Jenifer Lewis (black-ish) and Grammy Award nominee Mickey Guyton.
Each series will be available in DisneyNOW on their respective premiere dates and will begin streaming on Disney+ shortly thereafter. Launch platforms will vary in international territories.
Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends debuts with a series of animated shorts titled Meet Spidey and his Amazing Friends on Monday, June 21, on Disney Channel (9:25 a.m. EDT/PDT) and Disney Junior (7:25 p.m. EDT/PDT), followed by the series premiere.
Harrison Wilcox (Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest) is executive producer, and Steve Grover (Hello Ninja) is supervising producer. Chris Moreno (Muppet Babies) and Chris Gilligan (T.O.T.S.) serve as supervising director and consulting director, respectively. Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) is the series’ composer and also performs the theme song. The series is produced by Disney Junior and Marvel Entertainment in association with Atomic Productions.
Mickey Mouse Funhouse debuts with a primetime special Mickey the Brave! on Friday, July 16, on Disney Junior (7:30 p.m. EDT/PDT), followed by the series premiere.
Phil Weinstein is executive producer and supervising director, Thomas Hart is co-executive producer and supervising story editor, and Mark Drop is story editor — all from the Emmy-nominated Mickey and the Roadster Racers. Emmy Award winner Alan Bodner (Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure) serves as art director, and Steve Walby (Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures) is producer. Beau Black (The Lion Guard) is the series composer and co-writes the original songs with Loren Hoskins (Jake and the Never Land Pirates). The series is a production of Disney Television Animation.
Anime Expo announced that Lucasfilm will bring a galaxy far, far away to Anime Expo Lite this July with Star Wars: Visions – Sneak Preview. The half-hour session is slated for July 3 at 3 p.m. PST.
Join host and pop culture maven Chastity Vicencio, Lucasfilm’s Jacqui Lopez (executive producer), James Waugh (executive producer), Josh Rimes (executive producer) and Qubic Pictures’ Justin Leach (co-executive producer) and Kanako Shirasaki (producer) for an inside look at Star Wars: Visions before the series debuts on Disney+ later this year.
Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Visions is an upcoming anthology of animated shorts celebrating Star Wars through the lens of the world’s best anime creators and storytellers. Learn more about all things Star Wars at starwars.com.
Anime Expo Lite will be held virtually July 3-4. More info at anime-expo.org.
Adult Swim and Crunchyroll revealed a special behind-the-scenes look at Fena: Pirate Princess, alongside a new trailer and never before seen production art, in their streaming presentation for the Annecy Festival’s Work in Progress series. The panel, featuring director Kazuto Nakazawa and producer Rui Kuroki from Production I.G is available for Annecy attendees through the end of June.
During the session, the pair shared their inspiration for the series, fun anecdotes from production, and presented behind the scenes art including a selection of backgrounds, character art and more.
Fena: Pirate Princess, background artFena: Pirate Princess, background art
Nakazawa cited shojo manga as a major influence in creating the new series: “It made me want to make an anime with a flavor of Shojo manga in it.” He also mentioned that Fena: Pirate Princess has adventure and action, “but it is basically a love story.”
Fena: Pirate Princess, a half-hour Crunchyroll and Adult Swim original series, follows the adventures of Fena Houtman as she is on the run from pirates and the English Navy and must rely on a crew of Japanese samurai to unlock her family secrets … and an unimaginable treasure!
Fena expression sheetFena character designs
Fena Houtman remembers little about her childhood. Orphaned and raised as a servant in a brothel, her life changes when she escapes to an island of pirates where she discovers the truth behind her family. With Fena being the only one able to unlock her family’s secrets, and a formidable crew of female pirates on her tail, she must take her place as captain of her Samurai crew for a high seas adventure!
Crunchyroll and Adult Swim are also introducing the main characters and Japanese voice cast:
Fena: Pirate Princess (Fena Houtman)
Fena Houtman will be voiced by Asami Seto: A positive, cheerful orphan despite her traumatic past. Known for her pale skin and glowing silver hair.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Yukimaru)
Yukimaru will be voiced by Ryota Suzuki: The introverted, katana-wielding bodyguard of the Houtman family. He is extremely protective of Fena.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Shitan)
Shitan will be voiced by Takahiro Sakurai: This handsome, elite warrior can kill with his bow and arrow — or his looks. Though on the surface he seems aloof, he greatly values his friends.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Karin)
Karin will be voiced by Aoi Yuki: Raised by a family of blacksmiths, Karin geeks out over technology like her rifle, which she uses to great effect in battle.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Enju)
Enju will be voiced by Gen Sato: Kaede’s elder twin. They both use a spear and wakizashi in battle, they’re both friendly and mischievous, but Enju feels he’s more dependable than his younger brother.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Kaede)
Kaede will be voiced by Ryota Osaka: Enju’s younger twin. They both use a spear and wakizashi in battle, they’re both friendly and mischievous, but Kaede feels he’s more manly than his elder brother.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Tsubaki)
Tsubaki will be voiced by Jun Osuka: The oldest and most mature member of the group, he manages everyone’s wild energy. He’s also the cook, but when he fights, he uses a short ninja sword.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Makaba)
Makaba will be voiced by Shintaro Tanaka: This mountain of a boy prefers fighting in close quarters with brass knuckles. When he’s not fighting, he’s kind-hearted and mild-mannered.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Salman)
Salman will be voiced by Manabu Muraji: An older knight who was once called “Salman the Onslaught” for being so deadly with a spear. He’s known Fena since she was a girl as he served the Houtman family for some time.
Fena: Pirate Princess (Otto)
Otto will be voiced by Hiroaki Hirata: Another older knight who served the Houtman family and possessed an intimidating nickname in his younger days — “Otto the Blitz” for his quick swordplay.
Nakazawa directs from a screenplay by Asako Kuboyama, based on an original story conceived by Nakazawa and Production I.G, which is producing the animation. The series will feature music by Yuki Kajiura, with FlyingDog handling music production.
Fena: Pirate Princess will simultaneously premiere dubbed in English on Adult Swim’s Toonami and stream subtitled on Crunchyroll later this summer.
Fena: Pirate Princess, background artFena character sketches
Animation lovers from around the world attending France’s esteemed Annecy Festival got an insider’s look at a very American project this morning, as Netflix presented a studio focus on We The People — a civics-themed 10 x 3 min. series of animated music videos from executive producers Chris Nee (Doc McStuffins), Barack and Michelle Obama, Kenya Barris, Tonia Davis and Priya Swaminathan. Pairing different animation directors working in 10 different animation styles with original songs, the anthology premieres appropriately on July 4.
The panel, moderated by Heather Tilert, featured Chris Nee and four of the projects’ directors (who, the producer points out, were chosen to be representationally diverse and include both top-of-the-game talent and up-and-comers) as they discussed their goals, inspirations and processes. The streamer also debuted new stills timed to the virtual session’s launch from the featured directors’ episodes.
“Like many people, I’ve been distressed to watch our country lose the sense of what the communal idea of what being an American was, and I felt like we had lost the common language of civics — which is a nonpartisan language that tells us how this country is put together and also how you can be engaged,” Nee explained. The award-winning producer also noted that former President Barack Obama was very invested in the project: “He was the one who said, ‘Let’s thing older, let’s look at actually engaging the generation that is in the moment of looking around and going what the heck are you handing us, and what am I going to do about it?’“‘
We The People – Episode 2 (Trisha Gum)
Taking inspiration from his assigned song, Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) honed in on his heroine’s mindset: “One person in the world, you see all these things around you, it’s overwhelming and you don’t think you can do much on your own — but somebody’s got to light the little spark and get that first hint of inspiration going.” Working with studio BUCK, Ramsey drew on inspirations including French illustrator Moebius and The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine for the 2D piece. “We just joined hands and thought, how crazy can we get the color going by the end? How big of a shift can we make from beginning to end to really hammer this home?”
Trisha Gum (The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part) channeled her cut-out animation background into her short themed on the Bill of Rights. “The Bill of Rights is a document, it’s paper, it’s old .. we were talking about making this feel really relevant to people now,” Gum recalled thinking after hearing her assigned song. “I was really inspired by the actual, physical paper of it and I wanted that to come to life and morph. That was kind of the idea behind it, and the inspiration is just like, how does that paper turn into something that’s alive and that affects me, and affects all of us?”
We The People – Episode 7 (Jorge R. Gutiérrez)
“The pandemic was a huge inspiration for the piece. Getting to work with people from all over the world and seeing a little window of their countries [over video call],” Jorge R. Gutiérrez (The Book of Life) revealed. His episode focuses on the contributions immigrants make to the “cultural stew” of America. Gutiérrez and his wife/collaborator Sandra Equihua designed a series of dancing characters representing different countries in segments paying highly researched homages to their cultural flavor (including Amélie for France). The director worked with Titmouse. “We tried to get artists from all over the world. We also tried to get immigrants like us … ‘Hey, this guy is first generation Greek American, he’s gonna animate the Greek moment.'”
Working from a song by Brandi Carlile, Mabel Ye (Kid Cosmic) tuned into her music video wheelhouse. “The way that I create music videos, it’s so spontaneous and it’s honestly — it’s so personal, it’s embarrassing, but I have like no shame anymore,” Ye confessed. “I wanted to retain that kind of spontaneous, pure emotion that I felt when I listened to the song.” The director and the short’s producer at Titmouse opted to keep to a small, “total indie production” crew of probably fewer than 10 for the low-fi 2D concept. “I would just look at everyone’s work and be like, ‘This is incredible, let’s just do it!’ … I always think the first iteration kind of holds the most, I guess expression, of that emotion that you want to portray.”
The We The People studio focus is available to stream for registered Annecy attendees.
Netflix Canada and Women in Animation Vancouver (WIA) announced today the expansion of WIA Vancouver’s Animation Career EXCELerator Program (ACE). Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos included the news in his keynote speech at the virtual Banff World Media Festival today where he also shared that the company will be acting as the Premiere partner of the 2022-2024 program.
The goal of the ACE program is to advance women and those who identify as women into key creative roles in animation, providing mid-level career professionals targeted and focused mentoring, support and training. Through the program, participants are given the opportunity to develop, create and own original intellectual property.
The new grant will see the current ACE program expand to applicants across Canada and will allow for additional key creative roles to be included in the program’s offering. Currently six roles are covered in the program including writer, producer, director, art director, animation director and composer. The initiative is open to all women, or those identifying as women or non-binary, with a special focus on attracting creators from BIPOC or underrepresented groups.
This collaboration with Netflix is part of the recently announced Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, where Netflix will invest USD $100 million dollars over the next five years in a combination of external organizations with a strong track record of setting underrepresented communities up for success in the TV and film industries, as well as bespoke Netflix programs that will help us to identify, train and provide job placement for up-and-coming talent globally.
“Canada’s animation sector is second to none. This partnership will help ensure that the animation industry continues to thrive and include the experiences of Canadian women from diverse backgrounds,” said Sarandos.
“WIA’s mission is to promote diversity and gender equity in the animation industry, with the goal of 50/50 by 2025. We are thrilled Netflix has recognized the value of the ACE program and the impact it has had on the animation industry here in BC. We are excited that this new partnership not only allows us to continue the program, but expand it to reach women across the country,” said Rose-Ann Tisserand, WIA Vancouver Board Member & ACE Program Founder/Co-Executive Producer.
Currently in its second term, the ACE program has proven extremely successful as all of the women in the first cohort have gone on to become leaders at animation studios across the country.
“ACE was such an amazing experience for my professional and personal growth. The program allowed me to gain confidence, skills and connections that otherwise would have taken me years. Working as the short film’s Art Director helped affirm my career goals, this role was exactly what I wanted to do. As a result of participating in the ACE program, I was promoted several times over and am currently the Design Department Supervisor for a series at Atomic Cartoons. This year I am also thrilled to be mentoring for the ACE program. I cannot wait for the world to see what this year’s talented team has brewing,” said Maisha Moore, 2019 ACE participant.
Applications will open at the Spark Animation Festival 2021 for the next iteration of the program and all selected candidates will be announced in March 2022 on International Women’s Day. WIA Vancouver’s ACE Program would like to thank current sponsors for making the ACE Program possible. Current sponsors include Creative BC, Telefilm, Toonboom, Autodesk Foundation, Canadian Media Producers Association – BC Producer’s Branch, Boughton Law, National Film Board, Producer Essentials, Spark CG Society, Pender PR and The Research House Clearance Services.
Digital Dimension Entertainment Group (DDEG), a Montreal-based company focusing on the creation and production of animated content, and winner of six Emmy Awards and four Visual Effects Society Awards, has promoted its Head of Production, Marc Bourbonnais, to Chief Operating Officer of the holding company, overseeing operations of all of the Company’s two studios, Saturday Animation Studios and Meduzarts Animation. The announcement was made today by Louis-Simon Ménard, CEO & President of DDEG.
“Since Marc joined the company in 2015, his structured approach to production challenges have made him an experienced problem-solver and pipeline expert for demanding digital productions,” commented Ménard.
“I am excited and honored to be awarded this new role. With my past experiences as a digital artist, instructor, producer and manager it is the perfect time to take on this opportunity,” stated Bourbonnais. “I am thrilled to be part of the DDEG family and will proudly continue to elevate its studios to whole new levels.”
DDEG’s Meduzarts Animation specializes in content for adult audiences, collaborating on projects with clients such as Netflix, Legendary Entertainment, WB Games, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Sony, Blizzard Entertainment and Bethesda Softworks LLC. Among the studio’s major projects currently in production is the highly anticipated animated series Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, directed by Zack Snyder and Jay Oliva, which serves as a prequel to Snyder’s Netflix Original zombie heist action film Army of the Dead. The series is executive produced by Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Wesley Coller from The Stone Quarry, alongside Jay Oliva and Shay Hatten.
Continuing on its mission to innovate, Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas is the entertainment group’s third series produced in real time on the Unreal engine. Previously, DDEG leveraged the gaming engine for NBCUniversal’s Zafari, the first animated series to be fully produced in real time, and PKDI’s The Beachbuds.
Saturday Animation Studio, which focuses on quality youth content, is also full speed ahead on the development of its own IP slate, the renewal of its award-winning, co-produced property Mighty Mike (Cartoon Network/ABC/Universal Kids), as well as production deals of exciting new series, which will expand the studio’s operations with a major increase in the hiring of animation talent in 2021.
Marc Bourbonnais joined Digital Dimension in August 2015 as Head of Technology, after which he was promoted to Head of Production in March 2017. In that role, Bourbonnais has shepherded over a dozen projects, including Zafari, Mighty Mike, Sadie Sparks and Helen’s Little School, as well as multiple cinematics notably for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege: Outbreak and Middle-earth: Shadow of War with the DDEG/Meduzarts Animation team.
Prior to joining DDEG, Bourbonnais served as President and Co-Founder of Modus FX (2007 – 2014) offering digital production services for film, television and new media. Modus FX worked on projects for clients such as Marvel Studios, Summit Entertainment, Relativity Media, Sony Pictures, Discovery Channel, Warner Bros. Interactive and the History Channel. FFX-driven feature film productions included The Avengers, Now You See Me, Mirror Mirror, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and This Is The End. From 1997 to 2007, Bourbonnais served as the Lead 3D Technical Director at Hybride, a division of Ubisoft that delivers state-of-the-art digital imagery for the film and TV industry worldwide.
Award-winning Irish animation studio Kavaleer Productions have announced a collaboration with The Late Late Toy Show star Adam King to develop Adam ❤ Adventure!, a preschool adventure-comedy series set in space, but with an environmental slant. Inspired by and starring Adam himself, the show aims to promote his message of empathy and friendship (exemplified by his ‘Virtual Hug’) a truly universal phenomenon.
The series kicked off development in April and has been selected for inclusion at the 2021 edition of the prestigious Cartoon Forum in Toulouse, France this coming September.
Adam ❤ Adventure! breaks new ground for young audiences in a number of significant ways: It will be the first Irish children’s program to feature a wheelchair-user as protagonist. With 150 million children living with additional needs worldwide, the show will introduce much needed on screen representation. In Ireland, one in seven people identify as having additional needs, but there is only around 2% on-screen representation.
Andrew Kavanagh, CEO of Kavaleer and the show’s creator, said “Adam stole the hearts of the nation when he appeared on The Late Late Toy Show last year. His message of following your dreams, no matter what challenges you face, inspired me to create this show. With Adam as our CapCom, we’re excited and thrilled to be embarking on our latest mission!”
“Our ethos at Kavaleer is to create innovative, ground-breaking shows that celebrate uniqueness and diversity in every child and support young hearts and minds to thrive. Adam ❤ Adventure! will be the latest hit from the creative team that created Kiva Can Do!, and co-produced household favourites such as Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese and Pablo,” added Gary Timpson, MD and executive producer for the show. “We can’t wait to share the development with the world at Cartoon Forum in a couple of months’ time.”
Adam’s Father, David King, said, “Our family are delighted to share this exciting news with the world! We believe in the importance and power of representation of difference in the stories we tell our children. That is why we are thrilled that Adam, our beloved son and a child with additional needs, is going to be the star of this wonderful cartoon. Not only this, but his trusty friends Speedy (his wheelchair) and Bubby (his toy rabbit) will travel on all his adventures with him. Through this cartoon, we hope other children and families will benefit from the power of seeing difference represented in the wonderful stories and characters of Adam ❤ Adventure! Our deepest thanks to Andrew and all the team at Kavaleer. From the moment we first connected, we knew Kavaleer were the right fit for our family as we share the same values. We can’t wait to go on this adventure together!”
Kavaleer have enlisted Citizen Scientist Astronaut trainee and Global Faculty Member of the International Space University, Dr. Norah Patten as the show’s chief space advisor. As an ambassador for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Norah is uniquely qualified to advise across the show’s space and environmental themes.
“Space provides such a truly unique lens for understanding more about our own planet and it gives us a perspective on humanity’s place in the universe,” Dr. Patten said. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to be involved on the show with Adam; a little boy with big ambitions and big dreams and an inspiration to so many.”
The 2D animated series (52 x 11′) features comedy-themed quests, in which our eponymous hero and his crew are on a mission to help aliens around the galaxy solve problems (usually of their own making) using his space-smarts and altruistic personality. The prime-directive for the audience is to learn about how best to protect the most important planet of all — our own — through humor and empathy for the world around us. Key to the show’s messaging will be that through empathy and understanding, we can all make the world a better place for future generations.
Eimear O’Mahony, Executive Producer, Children’s and Young People’s Programming for RTÉjr, added, “RTÉjr are delighted to support Adam ❤ Adventure! for Cartoon Forum this year. Adam is such an inspirational boy and puts a smile on the faces of children and adults alike. I’m sure Adam ❤ Adventure! will be one of the star shows this year at Cartoon Forum.”
APC Kids, the children’s entertainment division of leading co-production and distribution company APC Studios, has secured a key co-development deal with Super RTL (Germany) through its production arm Zephyr Animation. Originally created at Copernicus Studios by Tony Mitchell and Andrew Power, along with head of development, Dylan Edwards, the companies will co-develop Lana Longbeard, an exciting new 2D animated fantasy and adventure comedy series targeted at six to nine-year olds.
“We’re beyond excited to be working with Zephyr Animation and Copernicus Studios on Lana Longbeard, a series that is not only heart-warming but also adventurous and incredibly funny. So far, the development of the show has been going as smoothly as one could only wish for and we’re sure that our audience will love Lana and her misfit crew of friends and family just as much as we do. Just like Lana, we are big fans of great adventures and pancakes!” said Kerstin Viehbach, Head of the Commissioning and Development department of Super RTL.
Set to begin production later this year, Lana Longbeard follows the titular character Lana, a super feisty, forward-thinking, passionate 11-year old who is heir to her father’s adventuring ship, the Mighty Windbreaker. Together with her viking dad and his motley crew of rogues — which includes dwarves, orcs, amazons, barbarians and a cyclops — she sails across the Ten Realms, dreaming of becoming one of the greatest adventurers of all time. Before that’s possible though, she must first overcome some challenging personal obstacles: impulsivity, stubbornness, extreme curiosity, disdain for rules and love of pancakes. All the best things about her!
The series is currently being developed with director Jessica Borutski onboard. Lana Longbeard will be executive produced by David Sauerwein for Zephyr Animation and Paul Rigg for Copernicus Studios.
“Lana Longbeard is a comedy series filled with adventure and heart. We’re especially proud to bring a strong female lead character such as Lana to audiences in Germany and around the world. Lana is the proof that girl empowerment, adventure, and comedy mix perfectly well,” said Sauerwein. “We’re very proud to have Super RTL believing so strongly in the series, and having them help to develop and bring these characters to life has been a fantastic experience.”
Rigg added, “We’re thrilled to be working with Super RTL and Zephyr Animation to bring Lana Longbeard to life for a global audience. From the first stages of development, we knew we had something very special on our hands with Lana, an incredibly curious, determined and confident female lead character. Lana, along with her ship’s family, will inspire and entertain kids globally, by sharing a passion for exploration, collaboration, comedy, and fantasy adventure, through a series of amazing stories. We can’t wait to set sail!”
International studio Wizart Animation is pleased to announce their new collaboration with iQIYI, an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, to co-produce a CGI-animated show for kids, The Tales of Wonder Keepers.
“We are excited to be partners with iQIYI and we have always believed in our creative team. We aim to produce a show that would appeal to the global markets, so this cooperation with iQIYI is a unique opportunity for our company to expand to the Eastern market with the #1 streamer. We are grateful for their trust in Wizart,” said Vladimir Nikolaev, General Producer of Wizart Animation.
The goal of the project is to broaden the horizons of young viewers and engage them in the amazing, mysterious world around us, which is just waiting for more new explorations, discoveries and, of course, heroes. The Tales of Wonder Keepers teaches children kindness and responsibility and shows positive ways to resolve conflicts and problems that children face in their everyday life.
The Tales of Wonder Keepers
Wizart Animation is one of the fastest-growing studios in Russia, whose most highly-acclaimed franchise is The Snow Queen. Founded back in 2007, Wizart has since produced seven features for family viewing and three shows targeted at preschoolers. The studio created the first Russian animated feature to screen worldwide on Netflix (excluding Russia and China), Secret Magic Control Agency, which topped worldwide charts the weekend of it March 25 release and remained in the top 10 for several weeks. Wizart also has its own animation school to prepare new professionals for the animation industry, and is in construction on its own Animation House.
iQIYI, Inc. is an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China. Its corporate DNA combines creative talent with technology, fostering an environment for continuous innovation and the production of blockbuster content. iQIYI’s platform features highly popular originals, as well as a comprehensive library of other professionally-produced, partner-generated and user-generated content. The Company distinguishes itself in the online entertainment industry by its leading technology platform powered by advanced AI, big data analytics and other core proprietary technologies. iQIYI attracts a massive user base with tremendous user engagement, and has developed a diversified monetization model including membership services, online advertising services, content distribution, live broadcasting, online games, IP licensing, online literature and e-commerce.
ON kids & family (Mediawan), producer of the worldwide hits The Little Prince and Miraculous; and the production company What The Prod, created and headed by Ashargin Poiré and Valérie Puech, have joined forces to produce an animated feature film directed by the visionary filmmaker Sylvain Chomet, based on the exceptional life of the legendary Marcel Pagnol. The project is dubbed “an animated hymn to filmmaking.”
“No need to be familiar with Marcel Pagnol to enjoy what Sylvain will offer us with this film. Whether or not you know Pagnol, Sylvain’s visionary take on the life of one of the greatest artists who ever lived will have you travel through the great changes of the 20th century and witness the birth of contemporary filmmaking,” said Aton Soumache, President and founder of ON kids & family. “Pagnol’s pioneering life has been so rich, so intense, that it was the perfect material for a timeless and solar hymn to the cinema, to life and to childhood across frontiers, as Martin Scorsese did with Georges Méliès in Hugo or with Howard Hugues in Aviator and that Sylvain’s genius and inimitable animation style will magnify.”
The movie marks Chomet’s return to the cinema. The one-of-a-kind artist has been nominated for four Academy Awards for his three films (The Illusionist, The Triplets of Belleville, The Old Lady and the Pigeons) and won a BAFTA and a César. Chomet’s works have travelled the world, participating in the most prestigious festivals and ceremonies — including Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Globes, Annecy and the Berlinale.
“I have always been a great admirer of Marcel Pagnol’s work, so I was immediately won over by the idea of writing and directing an animated biopic on his life. His entire work speaks to us in words relatable to all of us. I want to tell his story, what we know little or less about him, and try to understand and reveal the man behind his work. It is through the innocence of Marcel as a child that I have chosen to retranscribe the profoundly human and universal values of the man, because I am convinced that our era needs to return to this poetry and language of humanity,” said Chomet.
With 150 million books sold worldwide and translations into more than 50 languages, Marcel Pagnol was one of the world’s most inventive and prolific artists who ever lived. Pagnol went on to build his own studio and distribution company, pioneering talking pictures and shaping the global cinema industry. At the time, his movies reached more than two hundred admissions worldwide.
Pagnol’s life is an incredible success story and a true modern fable, marked by deep humanism, audacity and authenticity. The animated biopic The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol tells the incredible destiny of an exceptional man and artist born the same year as cinema, who went through the most important and tumultuous upheavals of 20th century History. With the depth and the universality of Chomet’s animated characters and their ability to appeal to a large family audience, the film will take the viewer on an adventure to the heart of a sublimated France, from Paris to Pagnol’s native Provence, during half a century of epic history which has built our modern world.
“Cinema and Marcel Pagnol are a family matter. The ‘magic’ of Pagnol has been happening in our family since 1942, when my grandfather bought the studios of this cinema pioneer for Gaumont, thus becoming his official distributor. Since then, a sincere friendship was born between the two men, allowing us today to have the trust of Nicolas Pagnol, his grandson, who is accompanying us in this project,” noted Ashargin Poiré, co-founder of What The Prod. “Animation was for us the best way to transpose this magic, which is why we are very happy to co-produce this animated biopic with ON, for the whole world and for all audiences. Sylvain Chomet’s massive, timeless and universal talent, and his authenticity, will create a wonderful tribute to the life and work of Marcel Pagnol.”
Just in time for summer romance, Funimation is bringing the heart-warming animated film Josee, the Tiger and the Fish to select theaters in the U.S. and Canada from July 12-14. The emotional and cinematic coming-of-age love story is directed by Kotaro Tamura and produced by studio Bones (Fullmetal Alchemist, My Hero Academia).
The 98-minute, unrated film is screening in Japanese with English subtitles and English-dubbed.
The film follows an unlikely pair, Josee, a gifted artist and disabled woman struggling to find purpose, and Tsuneo Suzukawa, a passionate scuba diver. The duo come together out of necessity and find they have a shared passion. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is based on a 1985 short story written by Akutagawa Prize-winning author Seiko Tanabe.
“With sweeping animation that draws audiences into the story, studio Bones and Kataro Tamura have created a moving tale about human connection,” said Mitchel Berger, Funimation Global Group’s Senior Vice President of Commerce. “Funimation is proud to bring the film to theaters this July.”
The film was released in Japan in 2020 and nominated for Best Animation in the 75th Mainichi Film Awards and Animation of the Year for the 44th Japan Academy Film Prize. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is also screening this week as part of the feature competition at Annecy.
Synopsis: Tsuneo, an ordinary college student and avid diver, unexpectedly becomes the caretaker of a wheelchair-bound young woman in order to raise money for this dream to go diving in Mexico. This young woman, who calls herself Josee after her favorite book character, is sullen and demanding, but as Tsuneo helps Josee interact with the outside world and learns more about Josee’s unique perspective, their feelings grow into love. The two begin to support each other in ways beyond just romance.
Tickets are on sale June 18. For more information, visit funimation.com/josee.
Paramount+ today released the first-look teaser art and trailer for the upcoming adult animated comedy The Harper House. Created by Brad Neely and featuring an all-star voiceover cast – including Rhea Seehorn, Jason Lee, Tatiana Maslany and Ryan Flynn as the Harper family – the 10-episode Paramount+ Original Series will premiere this fall exclusively on the service.
The Harper House follows an overconfident female head of a household as she struggles to regain a higher status for herself and for her family of oddballs after losing her job and moving from the rich side to the poor side of a small town in Arkansas. To save money, they’ve moved into their inherited Victorian fixer-upper, the historic Harper House.
VyVy Nguyen, Lance Krall, Roberta Colindrez, Tessa Skara, John “Spud” McConnell, Chris Diamantopoulos, Joanna Hausmann, Gabourey Sidibe, Nyima Funk and Gary Anthony Williams also voice characters in the series.
Neely also serves as executive producer alongside Katie Krentz. The Harper House is produced by CBS Eye Animation Productions, CBS Studios’ new animation arm, in association with 219 Productions. Titmouse (Big Mouth), the Emmy Award-winning independent animation production company, serves as the animation studio for the series.
The Harper House joins the growing list of original animated series Paramount+ has to offer, including Star Trek: Lower Decks, Rugrats, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, No Activity and the highly anticipated Star Trek: Prodigy, premiering later this year.
DreamWorks and Netflix have debuted the official trailer and new images for the feature-length conclusion to Guillermo del Toro’s Tales of Arcadia, released in tandem with the DreamWorks Studio Focus at Annecy today. Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans will premiere on Netflix on July 21.
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
“Something’s coming,” the trailer promises, as a supernatural uprising disrupts an innocent suburban soccer game. Familiar heroes from the preceding series prepare to join forces to take down the powerful forces amassing at the magical crossroads of Arcadia to threaten the human world.
In Dreamworks’ Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, Arcadia may look like an ordinary town but it lies at the center of magical and mystical lines that makes it a nexus for many battles among otherworldly creatures including trolls, aliens and wizards. Now the heroes from the hit series Trollhunters, 3Below and Wizards, team-up in their most epic adventure yet where they must fight the Arcane Order for control over the magic that binds them all.
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
The movie features the voices of Emile Hirsch, Lexi Medrano, Charlie Saxton, Kelsey Grammer, Alfred Molina, Steven Yeun, Nick Frost, Colin O’Donoghue, Diego Luna, Tatiana Maslany, Cole Sand, Nick Offerman, Fred Tatasciore, Brian Blessed, Kay Bess, Piotr Michael, James Hong, Tom Kenny, Angel Lin, Amy Landecker, Jonathan Hyde, Bebe Wood, Laraine Newman, Grey Griffin and Cheryl Hines.
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
Directors are Johane Matte, Francisco Ruiz Velasco and Andrew L. Schmidt. Guillermo del Toro, Marc Guggenheim, Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman are writers and executive producers; Chad Hammes is also an executive producer.
For the second day of Annecy, Netflix kicked off a busy morning of panels and WIP sessions with its Anime Studio Focus, putting a quartet of highly anticipated titles front and center. Kohei Obara, Anime Producer for Netflix, hosted the session from Tokyo and shared the studio’s gratitude to Annecy for uniting the global animation community through this year’s virtual-live hybrid event.
“Anime is a powerful artform that has been captivating people for many decades, including us at Netflix. We have always celebrated and championed this special medium and its many creators and fans from around the world,” Obara stated. “We are truly, truly committed to be a best-in-class home for fans and creators, and this year alone we will be premiering about 40 new anime titles — close to double the number we brought to fans last year.”
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
Director/executive producer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich (showrunner, The Witcher), producer/writer Beau DeMayo and co-executive producer/director Kwang Il Han (Studio Mir) were prompted by Netflix Anime Producer Dylan Thomas to discuss their work on the standalone prequel feature The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which will bring audiences back to Andrzej Sapkowski’s compelling fantasy saga in a thrilling new way. The 2D anime from the accomplished Korean studio behind The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts “explores a powerful new threat facing the Continent” while revealing the history of the Witchers through Geralt and his mentor, Vesemir (leading into his debut in the live-action show), and of magic in this world.
Hissrich shared both her love for Sapkowski’s stories and her excitement to adapt more Witcher lore free of on-set constraints. “We can do things in animation that we simply can’t do in live action. When Beau first wrote this amazing script for us — I’m a television writer, so everything I write has to be able to be done by real people in a real production on a real set — and he wrote this amazing battle, and my first thought was: ‘We’re never going to be able to do that,'” she recalled. “It was so wonderful to free myself of those creative constraints and say, we can actually do anything we want to do here. And it really allowed us to sort of dig into the story in a new way, and sort of explode our brains out creatively.”
“Our earliest conversations were pretty high altitude, and we wanted to make sure that the anime kind of expanded our understanding of the continent and its history. But I think more than that, I wanted to focus in on a story that was very personal to the Witcher world and its history, and that felt very human — despite the fact that we would have all these fantastical elements surrounding it.” DeMayo explained. “[I also] wanted to make sure that we were telling a story that could only be told in animation and really took advantage of what animation could do both visually and emotionally.” DeMayo, who was writer/story editor on CW vampire drama The Originals as well as writing for The Witcher series, describes his new project in brief as “a Gothic romance with a ton of action.”
Han, whose credits include The Legend of Korra, The Boondocks and Voltron, described the inspirations he felt reading the books ahead of production and his process for bringing the world of The Witcher to life, while background art concepts and location sketches were teased on screen:
“Each animation work has a concept. I always think that a viewer’s concentration depends on how realistically and well the concept is represented, and on the perfection of the composition. This approach was influenced by the autobiography of the director Miyazaki., as well as my own experience. When building a view of this world, or stage, of The Witcher, we first create the landscape. After constructing the terrain, many background elements are placed to the east, west. north and south. This determines the location of the sun or moon — this is the foundation of where the light will be coming from. It goes into more detail from here,” Han explained. “When I use this method, other artists sometimes ask me, ‘Why do you have to make such a connection and include it in the layout when these elements are not even in the path of characters?’ … These details may be small things that are hard to see, but they add realism.”
Super Crooks
Another Western property getting an anime makeover at Netflix is comic-book legend Mark Millar’s Super Crooks. Director Motonobu Hori and Netflix Anime Producer Rui Kyo presented a first-look at the series, which follows small-time crook Johnny Bolt as he recruits the ultimate heist crew for one last score. The 13 x 25′ series promises to be “packed with action” expertly animated by Studio BONES (My Hero Academia, Godzilla Singular Point). The key creatives also include character designer/lead animator Takashi Mitani, concept artist Stanislav Brunette and composer Dai Sato.
Hori (BECK, Carole & Tuesday) described himself as a big fan of Millar’s work, and was excited to take on the project as his first solo directing gig. He also explained that the original book only accounts for about three and half of the 13 episodes in the series, so even established fans will discover something new.
“The original plot for the new section was written by Mark, but when we were turning it into the actual piece, I didn’t think it was a good idea to veer from the original feel, so I was very careful about that. We had [comic-book artist] Leinil Yu draw the character design — tt was just before the pandemic, and I had Mr. Kyo come with me to visit San Francisco,” Hori shared. “Something I was determined to do was to make Johnny cool and Kasey cute, I think these two points are very important,” he added with a laugh.
Since the series starts with a prequel of the original story, Yu was asked to create past versions of Johnny and Kasey, which Mitani translated to animation — Hori noted that Japanese animation artists are used to working with teenage lead characters, whereas like many American comics, Millar’s “heroes” are adults, so this step gave the director some anxiety! (Spoiler: Millar is pretty darn happy about the final result.)
Brothers Grimm
Fans of the all-female manga creating collective CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits) got a first glimpse at the upcoming Brothers Grimm-inspired project. The project is the very first result of the initiative announced by Netflix last year to form partnerships with individual creators for original anime projects. Putting an “entirely new and modern twist” on the classic fairy tale collections, the anime features character designs by CLAMP with a script by prolific screenwriter Michiko Yokote (whose credits include the manga-ka’s xxxHolic TV series). Obara notes that the show will be “boldly arranged with a splash of horror and suspense.” WIT Studio (Great Pretender, Attack on Titan S1-3) is leading animation production.
While the creatives could not be in attendance, they shared a written statement: “For all of us at CLAMP, it is truly an honor to be designing the characters for this exciting, new interpretation of the world-famous fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and as anime fans ourselves, we cannot wait to see this story unfold with all of its surprises and refreshing emotions it carries.”
Thermae Romae Novae
And putting the final tessera in the Netflix anime mosaic, new teaser art for time-traveling bath house comedy Thermae Romae Novae was revealed. Manga creator Mari Yamazaki, who is creating brand new episodic stories to add into the series, discussed adapting her popular tales of an ancient Roman bath designer named Lucius who accidentally slips through time and learns about modern Japanese bath culture. Having lived in both Japan and Italy, Yamazaki was inspired by the fascinating similarities she saw between the two cultures, and hopes to spark interest in viewers by sharing this information through the unusual stories of Thermae Romae.
“Thermae Romae was already made into a live-action film, and a Flash anime was made as well, but I always felt that I wanted to see more elaborate animation. At the same time, I thought I would not have a chance like that,” Yamazaki confessed to Netflix’s Kyo (actually, a big fan of hers!). “So, when I got the offer [from Netflix], my challenging spirit was fired up to make my piece into anime. I’m the one who really wants to see what it is going to be like.”
In utilizing story ideas she was unable to fit in her original graphic novel, Kyo brought up that Yamazaki has added two new (novae, if you will) elements to the series — without revealing any major spoilers. “There were some episodes that I wanted to include while I was writing the original, but could not, and this is the stuff I was hoping to add if I got a chance to with a spin off — I can’t wait to do it, but I don’t know when!” Yamazaki quipped. “So, first, I’ll include it in the anime.” One thing fans can look forward to: some prequel revelations.
NAZ (Gloomy the Nauthy Grizzly, My First Girlfriend Is a Gal) is producing the hand-drawn 2D animation. The anime is directed by Tetsuya Tatamitani (Africa Salaryman) and written by Yuichiro Momose (Africa Salaryman, My First Girlfriend Is a Gal).
The Criterion Channel announces it will present the exclusive streaming premiere of the acclaimed Chinese animated feature No. 7 Cherry Lane, available July 1. Winner of the Best Screenplay award at the 2019 Venice Biennale, the artfully crafted 2D work was also nominated for Best Film at the Italian event, as well as in the Stuttgart Trickfilm, Goteborg Film Festival, Cinephile Society and Satellite Awards.
The first animated film by celebrated director Yonfan is an exquisite, sumptuously stylized ode to young love, cinema, and the world of 1960s Hong Kong that has earned comparisons to the lush, languorous romanticism of Wong Kar Wai. Set amid the turbulent social unrest of Hong Kong’s 1967 anticolonialist riots, No.7 Cherry Lane unfolds as an almost hypnotic daydream of bittersweet nostalgia and heady eroticism in which a taboo love triangle plays out between a Proust-reading university student, a self-exiled Taiwanese divorcée, and her ravishingly beautiful daughter.
Stunningly realized through a mix of colored-pencil and charcoal drawings on rice paper and studded with references to literature and international art cinema — in particular the films of French screen siren Simone Signoret — this singular achievement in adult animation casts an intoxicating spell all its own.
Since 1984, the Criterion Collection has been dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. No matter the medium — from laserdisc to DVD and Blu-ray to streaming on the Criterion Channel — Criterion has maintained its pioneering commitment to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen, in state-of-the-art restorations with special features designed to encourage repeated watching and deepen the viewer’s appreciation of the art of film.
Technicolor has announced that its CGI animation companies – Technicolor Animation Productions, Technicolor Animation and Mikros Animation – will integrate their operations. By joining forces under the Mikros Animation brand, the group strengthens its position as a global partner to filmmakers across the world. With an unparalleled track record in animation production across episodic content and feature films, Mikros Animation will continue bringing unforgettable and stylized stories to life, providing top-tier animation and CGI services for the entertainment industry through a complete range of front and back-end creative services.
Andrea Miloro, President of Mikros Animation, said, “By unifying our animation brands, we are forging a closer network of studios and talent-sharing knowledge, technology, processes and operations. Mikros Animation is part of the wider Technicolor Creative Studios family, which is focused on meeting the changing needs of our clients, partners and collaborators as we work together to redefine the future of entertainment.”
The newly organized animation group has a new leadership team, reporting to Miloro who will also head the feature film department:
Adrianna Cohen, SVP, Global Head of Production
Sandrine Nguyen Tiet, SVP, Episodic and IP
Boris Hertzog, SVP, Managing Director
Julien Meesters, SVP, Head of Creative
“Mikros Animation benefits from a large range of expertise in so many fields. The leadership team, as well as the global group, has demonstrated great experience in every step of the animation value chain, from IP development and production, to pre-production, through to final picture. I am confident that together, we will further develop these incredible skillsets to meet the needs of the rapidly changing animation market as we allow our current and future talent to grow. We will broaden our creative offering to filmmakers and allow them to go beyond their imagination and seize new opportunities to bring their visions to the screen,” added Miloro.
SVP, Global Head of Production Adrianna ‘AJ’ Cohen brings with her 35 plus years of experience in the entertainment industry and has an extensive knowledge in producing and packaging animation features and television shows. She recently worked as a consultant for animation facilities in Madrid, Lisbon and Barcelona, after serving as Senior Vice President/Head of Production of Blue Sky Studios, where she was instrumental, notably on Spies in Disguise.
“I am very pleased to join Mikros Animation. The team demonstrates a strong passion for animation that is reflected in the rich variety of styles that is applied every day to bring great IPs and great stories to screens. The team also shows a great experience in every facets of the animation content production and has built a solid reputation in execution quality and on- time delivery. Because we are committed to creating the highest quality content for every unique projects that are entrusted to us, we will continue pushing together this level of excellence and we will continue serving stories by partnering and collaborating with our clients through our front-and backend creative services,” said Cohen.
Across its studios in Paris, Montreal, Bangalore, London and Los Angeles, Mikros Animation has a long track record of delivering feature length animation projects, and currently has three feature films in production, including PAW Patrol: The Movie for Spinmaster and The Tiger’s Apprentice for Paramount Animation, along with an independent production. On the episodic side, more than 30 series have been delivered so far, including The Chicken Squad and Minnie’s Bow-Toons for Disney Junior and Rugrats for Nickelodeon, while new seasons for Gus, the Itsy Bitsy Knight! and Alvinnn!!! & the Chipmunks are in production.
Emmy Award-winning French animation production and distribution company Dandelooo and independent Belgian film production company Vivi Film announced from Annecy a partnership to co-produce and co-finance the new animated series The Upside Down River (9 x 26′).
Dandelooo’s animation studio Ooolala in la Cartoucherie, Valence (France) will produce the new 2D animation in cooperation with Canal+ Family. Directed by Paul Leluc (The Wolf, The Long Long Holiday), the series targeted at eight- to 12-year olds will commence production at the end of this year. Delivery is set for mid 2023, with Dandelooo responsible for worldwide distribution.
The Upside Down River is adapted from the amazing children’s novel La rivière à l’envers by leading French children’s author Jean Claude Mourlevat, winner of the 2021 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA). Jean-Claude Mourlevat is the first French laureate to receive this year’s award, the world’s largest prize for children’s literature.
Published by Editis Group, La rivière à l’envers has sold over one million copies in France and numerous countries including Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, Spain and Germany. The English version will be published worldwide by Andersen Press in 2022.
Veerle Appelmans, Producer at Vivi Film said, “We have a heart for authentic imagery and touching stories. That is why we fell head over heels for Upside Down River! We look forward to co-producing this poetic and beautiful coming of age series.”
Emmanuèle Pétry Sirvin, Co-Founder of Dandelooo, added, “My partner Jean-Baptiste Wery and I are so excited to be able to bring to ‘screen life’ this wonderful book, the kind of story you will always remember your whole life. It’s so rare to find a magical composition of adventure, friendship, fantasy, nature and strong emotions and we feel privileged that Jean Claude has accepted our desire to adapt his masterpiece and to collaborate with Vivi Film on this amazing project.”
The Upside Down River is an adventurous quest in a poetic fantasy world following Hannah’s search for water drops from the Qjar river in order to heal her sacred bird. She’s followed in her hunt by Tomek, a shy boy, whose world is turned upside down when she enters his shop.
Dandelooo’s productions include the hybrid preschool series The Treehouse Stories (in production on season 4, with two theatrical films), which won an International Emmy Kids Award in 2017; Chico Chica Boumba, commissioned by M6; and the animated feature film Houdini. The company has just delivered Stinky Dog (52 x 11′) to France Televisions and TV3 Catalunya, and TV special Mum is pouring rain (WIP at Annecy) to Canal+, is now in production for the preschool series Billy the Cowboy Hamster (52 x 11′). Dandelooo is also developing loguis, an original project to initiate yoga for preschoolers.
The Teen Titans are planning a slam dunk Father’s Day weekend with the premiere of Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam, an 80-minute original movie that follows the DC Super Heroes as they watch and offer hilarious commentary on the classic 1996 live-action/animated sports comedy film Space Jam, starring basketball legend Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes.
The movie will premiere Sunday, June 20 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network ahead of its digital release from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on July 27.
In Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam, the Teen Titans are visited by the Nerdlucks, the iconic Space Jam villains who tried to capture Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes. Astonished to discover his fellow Titans have never seen Space Jam, Cyborg organizes an exclusive watch party. Of course, if the Titans are watching a movie, don’t expect silence to be golden. Raven and Starfire provide the commentary, Cyborg presents the fun facts, Beast Boy points out the butt shots, and Robin…well, Robin doesn’t trust their new alien friends. Are the Nerdlucks here to attend an innocent watch party, or do they have more sinister motives up their sleeves?
Following its linear airing, fans can watch Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam on the Cartoon Network app and VOD. The movie will also be available to purchase on digital starting July 27 for $14.99 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Directors Emma de Swaef, Marc Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr and Paloma Baeza revealed the voice cast and gave an early look at the creative process behind The House on Monday, during the Annecy WIP Session for the upcoming stop-motion anthology series.
“No two Netflix adult animated shows are the same and that’s how we like it. From comedy mainstays like Big Mouth and F Is for Family, to uncharted storytelling experiences like The Midnight Gospel — there’s something for everyone. And we’re excited to expand our slate and push the boundaries of what’s possible in adult animation.” Head of Adult Animation Mike Moon wrote in a blog post. “… And today, we’re proud to unveil new details about where we’re headed. We’re introducing our first-stop motion anthology, The House, at the same place where it first began — the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.”
Produced by Nexus Studios (This Way Up, Back to the Moon), The House is an eccentric dark comedy centered on a house and the three surreal tales of the individuals who made it their home.
“Chapter One,” from filmmakers Emma de Swaef & Marc James Roels, includes voice cast: Claudie Blakley, Matthew Goode, Mia Goth, Mark Heap, Miranda Richardson, Josh McGuire and Stephanie Cole.
“Chapter Two,” from filmmaker Niki Lindroth von Bahr, includes voice cast: musicians Jarvis Cocker and Dizzee Rascal, Yvonne Lombard and Sven Wollter.
“Chapter Three,” from filmmaker Paloma Baeza, includes voice cast: Helena Bonham-Carter, Paul Kaye, Susan Wokoma and Will Sharpe.
Miranda Richardson | Helena Bonham Carter | Dizzee Rascal [photo: Eva Pentel]Netflix Adult Animation also announced the series regulars for Inside Job, which was sneak peeked by creator/showrunner Shion Takeuchi (writer, Gravity Falls, Regular Show) and executive producer Alex Hirsch (creator, Gravity Falls). The comedy series is the first project under Takeuchi’s overall deal with the streamer, and the first adult animated series created in-house by Netflix Animation Studios.
Inside Job revolves around the shadow government — and the dysfunctional team whose daily grind is committing the world’s conspiracies. From convoluted coverups to secret societies to masked orgy etiquette, navigating office culture at Cognito Inc. can be tricky, especially for anti-social tech genius Reagan Ridley. Even in a workplace filled with reptilian shapeshifters and psychic mushrooms, she’s seen as the odd one out for believing the world could be a better place. Reagan thinks she can make a difference, if only she could manage her unhinged, manifesto-writing father and her irresponsible coworkers, to finally snag the promotion she’s been dreaming about.
The newly announced cast features Lizzy Caplan as Reagan Ridley, Cognito Inc.’s antisocial tech genius; Christian Slater as Rand Ridley, Reagan’s father and the disgraced head of Cognito Inc.; Clark Duke as Brett Hand, a lovable D.C. yes-dude; Andrew Daly as J.R. Scheimpough, CEO of Cognito; Bobby Lee as Dr. Andre, a free-spirited biochemist; John DiMaggio as Glenn Dolphman, a half-man, half-dolphin; Tisha Campbell as Gigi, Cognito’s fast-talking Head of Media Manipulation and Subliminal Messages; and Brett Gelman as Magic Myc, a psychic subterranean mushroom creature from a hive mind deep within Hollow Earth.
Inside Job
Another highly anticipated title in the works is Human Resources, an even “edgier and adult-ier” spinoff from the creators of Big Mouth. The upcoming comedy pulls back the curtain on the daily lives of the creatures — Hormone Monsters, Depression Kitties, Shame Wizards and many more — that help humans journey through every aspect of life from puberty to childbirth to the twilight years. It quickly becomes clear that though the creatures are the protagonists, they have a lot of humanity themselves.
Human Resources is co-created and executive produced by Kelly Galuska, Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin; produced by Brutus Pink and Titmouse, Inc.
Starring in the spinoff are Nick Kroll as Maury the Hormone Monster, Maya Rudolph as Connie the Hormone Monstress and David Thewlis as The Shame Wizard, joined by Aidy Bryant, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Keke Palmer and Randall Park.
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